On the last flight out of Saigon tonight, or so it feels like. Hong Kong Express cancelled all flights w/o alternatives - got a text last night. Cathay will cancel all flights to/from Japan until end March as the quarantine takes effect tomorrow. Regional tourism nulled for now.
Used miles to get the last flight out of Tokyo & so thankful for Asiamiles & Cathay & JAL for great service for free (market prices high in the thousands range). Thanking my lucky 🍀 star for hustling this through. But for those cancelled, few alternatives directly & very costly.
I knew that I couldn’t wait till Monday as things change quickly (was a good call as Cathay announced this morning). Called 1st thing in the morning to HKE & only got someone 1hr later not speaking English (luckily I speak Japanese which didn’t help as they say sort urself out!!)
So bff & I got our boots on, went to the gondola, & called JAL & sorted out 2 flights left - 4pm Haneda or 615 Narita. Prices expensive so my only shot is Asian Miles if not spending 3kUSD for econ. We went down the mountain as fast as we could to make 4pm w/o tickets 🤞🏻
We got the taxi ready & hopped on & I called Asia Miles & got the call right away & the guy gave me the ticket no problem for the 615pm out Narita using miles so virtually free - literally the last flight out of Tokyo to Hong Kong. I was worried the WHO’d declare a pandemic soon.
We live in an environment where we have no idea what will be tomorrow & feels like the world is increasingly shutting down.
Yesterday, there were many direct flights. Today, u can’t find a direct flight. Gone. Just like that & grateful I got status & miles w/ a great airline, 🙇🏻♀️
Yesterday, there were many direct flights. Today, u can’t find a direct flight. Gone. Just like that & grateful I got status & miles w/ a great airline, 🙇🏻♀️
Once I’m in Hong Kong late tonight, I am there for good, maybe even until Easter or longer as I won’t risk this again.
So u see, this virus attacks our globalised system & what u thought was fine changes overnight & so be where u need to be & plan to be very local for a while.
So u see, this virus attacks our globalised system & what u thought was fine changes overnight & so be where u need to be & plan to be very local for a while.
Another thing, don’t go anywhere if ur margin of safety is low because the risk of things changing high & can be costly. Can work remotely, in a foreign country where I speak the language + bff & friends so free shelter & good company, & good global insurance, & OK cash flow. But
Those that don’t have a wide margin of safety (insurance, good friends for free housing, OK cash flow to buffer income losses & unexpectedly high costs of return & costs being stuck in Japan & not to mention debt & fixed costs) this can be devastating.
But this is where we are.
But this is where we are.
